Contributing

Melange compiles OpenFGA schemas into PostgreSQL functions through a multi-stage pipeline: parse the DSL, analyze relation patterns, compute transitive closures, generate specialized SQL, and install it. Understanding this pipeline is key to contributing effectively.

Getting Started

Clone the repository and install dependencies:

git clone https://github.com/pthm/melange.git
cd melange

# Install development tools
go install github.com/gotesttools/gotestfmt/v2/cmd/gotestfmt@latest

Building

# Build the CLI
go build -o bin/melange ./cmd/melange

# Build test utilities
go build -o bin/dumptest ./test/cmd/dumptest

Running Tests

# Run all tests
go test ./...

# Run OpenFGA compatibility suite
just test-openfga

# Run benchmarks
just bench-openfga

Quick Links

Architecture

Compilation pipeline, SQL generation, and key design decisions

Adding Features

Step-by-step guide for new OpenFGA feature support

Testing

Run the OpenFGA compatibility test suite

Benchmarking

Performance testing and profiling

Project Structure

Codebase layout, modules, and key files

Development Workflow

Make changes to the relevant files.
Run tests to ensure nothing breaks: just test-openfga
Run benchmarks if performance-sensitive: just bench-openfga
Submit a pull request.

Good First Issues

Look for issues labelled good first issue on GitHub. These typically involve:

Adding test cases for edge cases in existing patterns.
Improving error messages or doctor check output.
Documentation improvements.
Small refactors with clear scope.